BlogPaws

March 13, 2015

Who doesn't love black cats? Seriously, they are among the most gorgeous creatures of this earth! Many years ago we had a black cat named Merlin. That was back in the days when we allowed our cats to go outdoors. Merlin would go out, disappear for a bit, and return for his dinner, every day.

Until, one day... he didn't. :-(

I don't know what happened to him. I like to think he was taken in by a cat loving home. He was so gorgeous and so friendly, that seems like the most likely reason he never returned. I know other things may have happened to him, but I shudder at the thought of what they might be and I sincerely think his gorgeous good looks and friendly personality endeared him to a family along the way.

It was many, many years ago, so ... regardless of the outcome then, at this point I'm sure my Merlin has gone to the Rainbow Bridge. I hope he forgives me for letting him out all the time. We never let our cats out now (although, we have a high fence in our backyard and I'm contemplating a collar and leash for Molly... our neighbor allows her cats free roam of her backyard and they have never tried to climb the fence to get away).

March 10, 2015

I am a pet person from WAAYYyy back! I expect many of you were (are) too. I think I was BORN in love with dogs and cats. It was mostly dogs in those early years. I don't have a good reason for it. I don't remember ever not wanting a dog, and I don't remember why it was so important... other than, I just loved the furry critters!

I was given my first dog when I was twelve. Oh the world suddenly got so much better! Even though Missy was not allowed to sleep in my room, she was as precious to me as any dog I've had since.

It became the "love me, love my dog" girl in the neighborhood. No one would ever think to complain about my dog. I took her everywhere with me. If I went to a friend's, she went with me and waited on the porch, if need be. If I couldn't convince the friend to go sit on the porch.

February 27, 2015

This post is sponsored by PetSmart and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Pet Dental Health Month, but Scratchings and Sniffings only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. PetSmart is not responsible for any of the content of this article.

The title is obviously from Little Red Riding Hood, an ancient (if you ask me) fairy tale that isn't all it's cracked up to be. But, that's a story for a different blog than this one.

For us, the 'big teeth' mention is what's at work here. Dogs have pretty big canines. And, a whole bunch of other teeth, too. Even little dogs. Our little Olive lost most of her teeth, due to neglect from the puppy mill proprietors. We took her in for a doggie dental health check up when we first got her and the subsequent cleaning ended up removing a good many teeth. Poor girl.

Dog dental health and cat dental health was of prime interest to the vet practice I worked in, many, many years ago. I did my fair share of dentals. Can I say, "we've come a long way, baby!"? Yes. I can.

January 12, 2015

I am active on social media. I use Facebook a lot. I check in to Google+. I read blogs. I watch videos. In short, my online activity is high.

One of the 'announcements' that gets me fuming on a daily basis is the "owner surrender" notes from shelters I am connected to. I find my blood pressure going to the roof when I read those words.

Often, the "owner surrender" is an adorable dog or cat, given up for no good reason that we can ascertain. We being the folks at the 'other end'... the receiving end of this activity. Many, many times the owner surrender is a pet that is old. The pet is too old for the family to care for. The pet is old and perhpas even ill. Elderly pets get many of the same ailments elderly people do - arthritis, for instance. Loss of eyesight. Even dementia.

The idea that it's okay to surrender your pet when she or her becomes too much for you, is so very wrong, I bristle when the subject comes up, no matter where it comes up. I find it astonishing that a loving family would even consider such an idea. After all, if you've been a pet parent for 10 years, or even 8 years, or even 5 years, to a beloved pet... how is it possible you don't see the enormous harm in surrending that creature to a shelter... where he or she will become a number, in a system, and no matter how loving the shelter workers are, nor how many loving volunteers they have, it won't be the same as you.

January 02, 2015

2015 is beckoning. It fills us with promise and expectation. “Come join me,” it calls to us. “You can be whatever you want to be in 2015 – I promise!”

And we all buy into that idea.

It’s true enough. From time immemorial, human beings have celebrated the New Year. Those of us who live in this time, in the moments of a new millennium that stretches like a whirling universe around us, watch TV or brave snow and ice or raise a glass at a private party, and kiss the New Year into existence, always mindful of the need to make those resolutions that we don’t plan on keeping.

“Lose weight” we write in our diary or on Facebook.

“Get a better job,” we say, with solid determination.

“Visit my mother more often,” some of us vow.

Whatever it is, the resolutions we make are designed to make our lives better. Because we all really, really… no really... want to be better. Better at our jobs, better at our lives, better parents, better siblings, better sons and daughters, better workers, better… than we were this year.

I have a proposition. I wonder… if we all adopted the SAME New Year’s resolution, perhaps we could change the world. Perhaps better could really happen.

I wonder if all of us agreed to do this one thing, would it make a difference?

December 27, 2014

Yes, yes, I'm a grinch. A scrooge. A stick in the mud, or whatever other name you give to someone who wishes the holidays were a bit shorter... like, done and over in an hour.

It's not that I don't like the decorations. I do. They're pretty. They make me go "aw" sometimes.

It's not that I don't like giving gifts. I do. I love surprising the kids and dogs and the kitty with something new and different that makes them go "aw"... even if it's in bark and meow.

It's not that I dislike visiting family and friends, drinking eggnog, eating cookies and candy and all manner of good food. I do. I even like making some of the good eats.

But, seriously, the holidays seem to drag on and on longer than necessary. The stores pitch us harder every year. The ads on TV and the web are outrageous. Outrageous in their annoyance. Some are funny and all are colorful but each one exists for one reason... to encourage us to give up our money in pursuit of happiness. And, we all know, there is no happiness in spending. Or, should I say overspending?

October 05, 2014

That it did. This love I have for animals. It began in my youth. I was drawn to dogs and cats. I wanted the warmth and love and affection they offered. I never felt fear or discomfort and couldn't understand those who did. What's to fear in a dog? I often wondered. Even a Rottweiler or a Doberman Pinscher. Or, a German Shepard, cause back in the day, those were the dogs everyone feared and raged against.

In my youth... I recognized the real value of a pet. I didn't yet know that any animal could be a pet. Perhaps there were homes with lizards and ferrets, back then in the 50s and 60s, but I didn't know of any. And those who had birds...well, I didn't think of birds as pets because I was ill-informed about the nature of birds and their capacity to love.

Back in the summer, I was contacted by Simon and Schuster to possibly write about this book. How could I resist? I accepted two copies of the book...and it sits on my nightstand, starting at me every night... begging me to pick it up... and I haven't yet, other than to skim through it.

Sigh.

A few weeks ago I got notice that the book is a NY Times Best Seller and while that makes me so happy... I mean, a dog book... a best seller on the NY Times, how cool is that? It also made me feel bad because I haven't yet read the darn book. Here's the rub - I also follow it on Facebook... and Twitter. And I love the videos. See below.

June 06, 2014

I'm not the only one who is passionate about the human animal bond. I know many of YOU are, also. Well, at the recent BlogPaws conference, our Saturday keynote, Dr. Kate Hodgson, DVM, MHsSs, CCMEP, spoke on the topic of "one health initiative" and taught us a LOT about the human animal bond. Many people said this was the best part of the entire conference.

I can't say that...but, it sure was close.

Our own Tom commented on Google+ : #HABRI#blogpaws keynote: defines "a group of intimates with both a shared history and a future"

We both like that, a shared history and a FUTURE. That's an important part, the future. It's my desire to help others into the 'new' future, by educating them on the value companion animals have to human beings. Which isn't 'new', but some folks think it is.

Diane Silver, Mom to Rocco Havanese, and a long-time BlogPaws supporter, writes on her blog, To Dog with Love, "One of the cool things that HABRI is doing is awarding research grants to study how the human-animal bond benefits people. They recently announced their first five grants -- totaling $250,000 -- that include studies about using animals to help autistic children and improving human heart health through dog walking."

Of especial interest, at least to me, was Dr. Hodgson's invention of the word, "zooeyia"... to mean, "the positive impact of companion animals on our health"... relevant to the ways dogs and other animals actually make us feel better and be better. We all know how dogs get us out and about. I am not sure how much walking I would actually do, if Emily didn't stick her cold wet nose in my armpit several times a day, insisting on her walk. :-)

Also, as I get older, I see how imporant these animals are to my mental health. They make me happy. They keep me from being too concerned about the issues of the day - after all, a good walk and a daily snuggle can solve anything, right? I'm also more aware of the needs of seniors, as it pertains to pets. Too many places make seniors give up their pets, and that's just wrong! I'm encouraged, however, by Dr. Kate's thoughts on Zooeyia, and how it can help us understand the way pets improve our lives, which, in turn, will show apartment managers and condo people that having pets is a good thing, not a problem.

Enjoy this fabulous video interview with Pet World Insider, and Dr. Kate. It's going to be the best part of your day, I promise. Oh, and if you're not signed up yet for next year, 2015 is going to rock and roll the night away... in Nashville, so...get to it and register!

May 30, 2014

Fleas and ticks and mosquitoes, oh my! Can't you just see Dorothy and the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion trapsing through the forest chanting, "Fleas and ticks and mosquitoes, oh my!" while they turn their heads first this way, then that way... ?

I can.

I can see it because it's almost summertime and the pesky bugs will abound, no doubt. Ok, these are not pesky bugs. These are dangerous insects and...as my friend Lea-Ann Germinder says over on Good News for Pets, "Why wait for the bite?"

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